Life-preserver



- A. P. LUNDIN. .LIFE PRESERVER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-13,1920- Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

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UFE PRESERVER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN- 13, 1920.

Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREAS P. LUNDIN, OF BAYSIDE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICAN BALSA COM- PANY, INC., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

LIFE-PRESERVER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREAS P. LUNDIN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bayside, borough of Queens, county of Queens, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life-Preservers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in life preservers.

In the conventional life preserver heretofore employed a series of buoyant units composed of cork or other buoyant material are sewed in pockets formed between opposite sheets of a substantially non-buoyant canvas or like covering fabric with straps or arm holes for supporting the preserver on the wearer, and one of the objects of my invention is to produce a life preserver which will eliminate these double sheets of canvas and the pockets formed therebetween and employ a single sheet of canvas with the buoyancy units secured or attached at one side thereof, thus resulting in economy of material, a lighter, less bulky and better fitting life preserver, which will support a relatively greater load than conventional life preservers having buoyant units of similar proportions and weight.

Another object of my invention is to produce a life preserver in which the, fabric material which contacts with the body of the wearer will be substantially uncreased and undistorted and will therefore fit the body better than preservers heretofore employed.

Still another object is to mount buoyant units preferably composed of blocks of balsa wood which has been treated to preserve and make the same waterproof, and these blocks are arranged in spaced relation to each other upon one side only of a single sheet of canvas or other like fabric material. Preferably these units are mounted on the said single sheet of canvas by means of relatively small securing straps whereby a relatively large portion of the outer surface of the canvas sheet is exposed and a considerable portion of each of the units is likewise exposed, thus permitting access of air for drying these parts of the preserver and pre venting rotting thereof.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention, the exposed units or blocks of balsa wood are provided with bores or holes and are preferably secured to the canvas sheet by narrow straps, which are threaded through the bores or holes in the units and connected to the outer exposed face of canvas or like sheet.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises the combination of members and arrangement of parts so combined as to co-act and cooperate with each other in the performance of the functions and the accomplishment of the results herein contemplated, and comprises in one of its adaptations the species or preferred form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a life preserver embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the collar por iion of the life preserver illustrated in ig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5--5 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view in plan of one corner of the canvas backing or base before the blocks are secured thereto.

Referring now to these drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, 1 indicates a base portion of a life preserver composed, asshown, of a single sheet of canvas or other similar flexible and tough material which is preferably cut into a configuration of a waistcoat to fit the body -of the wearer and has, as shown, a neck portion 2, a body and back portion 3, curved breast portions 4, and is also provided with suitable arm holes 1*. Mounted on one side of said base are two series of buoyancy units, one series being disposed on the body portion at one side of the arm holes 1 and adapted when the device is in place on the user to encircle his body, the other series being disposed at the opposite side of such arm holes on the neck portion 2 and adapted to encircle the ne'k of the wearer. The neck units are, as illustrated, disposed with serve and make the same waterproof, referably in accordance with patent to arr No. 13,952, and are applied on one face of the base and preferably on the outer face' only of the canvas sheet without the formation of pockets or like coverings for the units or outer face. "Such units are preferably spaced from each other on said outer face so that a considerable portion of said outer face is exposed and preferably also the buoyancy units are so connected or mounted as to be almost entirely exposed and uncovered.

Each of the buoyant body units or balsa blocks 5 is preferably so connected to the outer face of the canvas base by two oppositely-disposed and vertically extending straps 6 and 7 which, as illustrated, are sewed at their end 6 a to the outer face of the canvas base, then threaded through bores 8 and 9 respectively in the opposite ends of the unit, then bentdownwardly and their opposite ends (S are sewed to the said canvas base. These buoyancy units or balsa blocks 5 are also referably further secured by means of a horizontally disposed and relatively narrow strap or ribbon 10 which extends transversely across and embraces each of the buoyancy units or balsa blocks 5 and is preferably sewed to the canvas base at the space intermediate the'said units. The strap 10 is preferably elongated at its ends beyond the canvas base. 1 so as to provide means for fastening the vest in place on the wearer.

The buoyancy units or balsa blocks 11 at the neck are preferably secured by means of a relatively narrow strap 12 which is sewed to the canvas base 1 intermediate the buoyancy units or blocks 11 as at 13, the strap being then threaded upwardly through one bore 11 in each unit traversing the length of the unit and then being threaded down through another bore ,11 at the opposite end of the unit, after which it is again similarly connected at the opposite side of the unit to the said canvas base and continues upwardly through one of the bores in the next unit and so one. The opposite ends of this relatively narrow strap 12 are also elongatedbeyond the edges of the vest so as to-provide fastening means to secure the device about the neck.

It will .be seen from the above that I have produced a life preserver embodying a base composed of a single sheet of canvas or other suitable material, the inner face of which is entirely free from distortion or creases and is unobstructed so as to permit and a lighter, less bulky and more comfortable life preserver is produced which will support in water a relatively greater load than the conventional life preservers having buoyant units of similar proportions and weight and furthermore will permit a more quick and thorough drying after becomin wet.

having described my invention I claim 7 l. A life preserver embodying a base composed of a slngle sheet offabrie; a series of buoyant units, each comprising a block of.

balsa wood having bores at its opposite end, mounted on one side of saidbase; and a series of relatively narrow straps each connected to said base fabric and threaded through said bores. to'secure the blocks to the face of the fabric.

2., A life preserver embodying a base composed of a single sheet of suitable. fabric and provided with arm holes, a series of spaced" buoyant units adapted respectively to encircle the body and neck at opposite sides of said arm holes; said units each comprising a block of balsa wood having a bore at opposite ends and relativelv narrow straps of flexible material sewed at portions to one face of said fabric and threaded through said bores to'connect the blocks to the face of the fabric. 7

3. A life-preserver embodying a base composed of a single flat'sheet of suitable fabric and provided with armholes, a. series of buoyant units adapted: respectively to en circle the body and neck at opposite sides of said armholes and having the bottom portions spaced apart to provide substantial air spaces between the entire surfaces of the adjacent edges, said units each comprising a block of wood having substantially the characteristicsof balsa wood andmeans for securing said spaced units to the outer surface of said fiatsheet to expose substantially the entire top, side and end surfaces thereof.

4. A life-preserver embodying a base composed of a single fiat sheet of suitable fabric and provided with armholes, a series of buoyant units adapted respectively to encircle the body and neck at opposite sides of said armholes and having the bottom portions spaced apart to provide substantial air spaces between the entire surfaces of the adjacent edges, said units each comprising a block of wood having substantially the characteristics of balsa wood, the units encircling the body being disposed with their longitudinal axes in a vertical direction and In Witness whereof, I have signed my the units encircling the neck being disposed name to the foregoing specification in the with their longitudinal axes in a horizontal presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

direction and means for securing said spaced ANDREAS P. LUN DIN. units to the outer surface of said flat sheet Witnesses: to expose substantially the entire top, side CHARLES J. GALE,

and end surfaces thereof. HARRY BROADY. 

